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Gender
Gender Segregation Children tend to segregate by gender. They participate in gender-typed activities, and often make friends who are the same gender which they identify with. The reason for gender-segregation among children and consequences of it are currently unknown. Some possible explanations for this concept are "interest in shared gender-typed activities (i.e. activity homophily)" and that "children are attracted to peers who are interested in the same-gender-typed activities," or simply because children are "attracted to same-sex peers." (Fabes) It is likely that, through same-gender activities and interations, that children influence each other and shape parts of their development; "peer influence may indirectly amplify sex segregation." (Fabes) It is possible that such activities influence gender segregation in other areas outside of same-gender activities, and children's activities can influence others into further gender segregation. Often, children of the same sex are often grouped together, because they have interests, characteristics, etc. in common. For example, many boys like to play with toy airplanes and trucks while girls may like to have a make-believe tea party with their dolls. Also, children often assume that peers of the same-sex will have more in common with them, and be good playmates, because they can be categorized together by sex. Another broad possible explanation of gender segregation is the remnance evolutionary concepts; the two different genders played two different roles for survival. No matter the cause, sex segregation begins early in life, and "by pre-school, about half of children's interactions are with same-sex peers, about 30% involve mixed-sex groups, and fewer than 10% involve only other-sex peers." (Fabes) Interest in and interactions with the opposite gender increase as children reach pre-adolescence and adolescence, but "same-sex preferences strongly persist through preadolescence and adulthood." (Fabes) Gender segregation can be influential to development and may foster differences in academic achievement, psychology, skills, etc. (Leaper) Children learn to identify themselves by gender at an early age, and since same-sex playmates influence each others' development, (Aydt) they learn to stereotype sex/gender based on similar interests and appearences. The persistance of gender segregation may be a reason why children and adolescents who identity with a gender which does not correspond with his/her sex have such difficulty. Gender Identity/Gender Roles Children develop gender identity during their early years. It begins when a child is about eight to ten months old, and typically by the age of four years, a child has a stable gender identity. ("Gender Identity and Gender Confusion in Children") Around the same time, children learn about the activities of gender roles. For example, before child is three, they are able to identify toys that are associated with boys and toys that are associated with girls. They can also identify activities by which gender they are associated with. Gender identity is firmly established during the middle childhood years. If a child identifies with a gender which does not correspond with his/her sex, he/she will most likely know in early childhood. Children's gender-role and gender-identity behavior is influenced by the characteristics of males and females in their lives as well as their identification with them. ("Gender Identity and Gender Confusion in Children") Sometimes children deviate from the stereotypes which correspond with their sex; this is normal! All children have different interests and talents, some of which may not correspond with what is defined as 'masculine' or 'feminine.' Also, some young children mimic the behavior of people in their lives who they love, even thought the behavior they may imitate does not correspond with 'masculine' or 'feminine' behavior. What do Movies tell Children about Gender Roles? It seems nowadays that in many movies which children watch, males are portrayed as heroes while the women in their lives are there for no reason other than for the men to win their love, then leave to finish their quest of fighting evil. Movies with female protagonists as heroines teach something different. What are the movies we show the children in our lives teaching them? See Colin Stokes' TED Talk below.